As soon as the temperatures cool down a bit, usually in September and October, I start to feel a hiking urge. Seeing leaves starting to change their leafy coat from green to gold, oranges and reds is my visual cue to get my feet in motion. The following 4 hikes are a continuation of my previous blog post. The first two trails I describe here are longer and partially forested. The last two are short hikes leading to historical sites.
Since the park boundaries stretch for 50 km (of the total of 72 km long Krka river) along the river, a car is necessary to visit these different sites. Most of our off-season guests are digital nomads who travel without a car. Hiking, like cooking, is one of our favorite ways to spend our lifetime, so we gladly take our guests out to nature, for a voluntary gas money donation.
1. From Burnum to Manojlovac waterfall
Trail length is between 1.5 to 2 km. The entire length is downward and then back up the same way. Hiking shoes are necessary.
Burnum is a Roman military compound built in the 1st century AD. The two elements that have been reconstructed by the Park are the amphitheater and the two arches that used to be on the front of the military headquarters building. We parked to view the amphitheater first and that's where we bought a ticket for 30 kn in late October.
A lot more stunning part of this hike is on the other side of the road and another parking area. Standing tall in a meadow, on the plateau of the Krka River are the two arches, the remnants of the military headquarters, built from white stone. We walked through the arches, to the edge of the canyon, to admire the view of the river that looked like a tiny blue snake far down underneath. There is a footpath along the canyon top, leading over the meadows bordered with shrubbery and stone walls. The path is used by sheep and herdsmen, and it eventually connects with the gravel trail that takes to the Manojlovac waterfall overlook. The overlook gives a view of the Manojlovac waterfall from afar. True magic, however, is down the trail to the waterfall itself, the section of the trail that has been extended since the last time I was there.
This part of the trail is forested. The closer we got to the water the mustier the smell and the louder the song of the water crushing down over the karst rock barriers. We explored a couple of watermill ruins, climbed some trees to get a better view of the waterfall and its reflection, and noticed rock formations that spilled over from the top and folded down like a chocolate ganache, forming a dense curtain. The views on this trail are breathtaking.
Trail description is here, but only to the viewpoint. The trail extension has not been added to this text.
2. Stinice to Roški waterfall
Length is 8.5 km to Roški waterfall. The return is the same way, for a total of 17 km. Only for experienced hikers with hiking boots.
This is another trail that is partially forested at the beginning, starting at the Stinice parking lot. The trail starts by ascending to the top of the Krka canyon, and from there it follows along the river the whole way, affording amazing views for the entire duration of the hike. Not much vegetation is present this high up in the river canyon, so sun hats are a must during summer. Wooden benches along the way offer themselves for a short break or a picnic lunch. Ruins of the Kamičak fortress can be seen. This trail includes several hundreds of stairs, in sections. The steepest part of the trail is the climb to the Oziđena cave, where remains of a Neolithic man were found, dating as far back as 5000 BC. This climb is not necessary. It's a choice for those who like a challenge. The trail description is here.
3. Trošenj fortress
The tail is fairly flat, gravel, easy.
The best time of the year to hike this trail is in March when almond trees are blooming. I hiked it with two beautiful French people who stayed with us for 5,5 months and walked a few paths with me last winter and spring. We parked in the village Čučevo, under some almond trees we had deep bonding experiences with. Čučevo is a small village with just a few houses and super friendly inhabitants. There is a longer trail that is gravel and wide. We took it as our return trial. Getting there we took a less-traveled path, through the fields and a forest patch, as directed by one of the villagers. We wandered around a bit, got confused a few times, but eventually ended up at the fortress. Its tall walls rose up like fingers of a hand toward the blue sky, perched on the edge of the canyon. The river was narrow but with a remarkable glistening effect way down below. We sat at the bottom of the huge walls, feeling small and peaceful. Across the canyon, on the other side, we saw a dot of the Nečven fortress. The two used to be connected by a wooden bridge that was destroyed in the 17th century.
The trail to Trošenj is described here.
4. Nečven fortress
Nečven was built in the 13th century and is still under reconstruction. We parked in the village of Puljane and walked for 1/2 km to the ruins. The trail is gravel and flat. Trail description here.
Eto, to je to. Pick your next trail and enjoy Krka which few people see. Or come for a hike with me!